USA – At the Advanced Clean Technology Expo in Las Vegas last month, Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA) of Portland, Oregon (a subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG) announced it has rolled out its “circular economy approach” to battery recycling, remanufacturing and repurposing of its lithium-ion CV battery packs. As part of its carbon reduction goals, the approach aims to extend the usability of its batteries and reuse rare-earth materials in the production of new products. DTNA plans to not only maximise the life span of a battery but also reduce waste.

The initial repurposing process involves partner, Nuvation Energy, who is currently piloting a battery energy storage system (BESS) designed to assist in charging, peak shaving, backup storage and microgrid scenarios. DTNA can therefore repurpose batteries that are unable to be reused in a commercial vehicle. The first of these repurposed batteries will be placed at DTNA’s heavy-duty electric truck charging site (“Electric Island”) in Portland later this year.